100,000 Words

Do you think a novel that long would sell high volume these days? It would be almost twice as long as the average novel. Unless it's a science fiction book, which typically has more words.

 

Strangely novels of that length are not unusual now, with many print publishers demanding 100,000 words or more as it gives the book a broader spine on the shelf. Readers pay more for larger books, while the extra pages are comparatively cheap to produce. If you check Bookangel's Epic length setting those are all books over 100,000 words.

Sci-fi stories were traditionally short, with classic SF like Asimov or Simak topping out at around 40-50 thousand words, but the modern genre has suffered the same bloat. I am not fond of it, as modern writers seem to have lost the art of conveying meaning in few words.

 

I don't know if you've seen it but there've been a few articles about modern books being really long. There's a good one to read on Vulture, about the 900 and 800+ page Booker winners.

http://www.vulture.com/2015/05/year-of-the-very-long-novel.html

 

Wanting more words as a marketing tactic........what will they think of next?

If they are written well enough, I tend to think of a 100,000 plus book as a few books in one. It reads better for me when I chop it up like that.

 

If they are going to have books of that size at least have the decency to have that many words in. What I dislike is the current trend to have supermassive books with big thick spines and when you open them, the font size and spacing is much larger than usual. I have no problems with large font books for those with difficulty reading, but marketing it as a normal back just to get shelf space annoys me no end.

Back on topic, a lot of fantasy novels tend to be up at that mark, probably due to novels like Lord of the Rings. And they are Book 1 of 3, so you have to wade through another 200k to find out that what happened was what you guessed in the first 2k words.

 

But the good news is, if you guessed right then you should have what it takes to be a writer yourself. Then again, if you can guess what a Clive Barker character is going to do later on in a series.........I'd be worried.

 

You would probably make more money if you broke it up into a series. Readers are more willing to spend $3-$12 per book than they are to pay $10-$20 for one no matter how thick it is.

 

Depends on the genre really. There are lots of them where if the book isn't really thick, then readers feel cheated, but there are plenty where you can get away with churning out 40k books at $4.99 and get the readers coming back for more.

 

Something horrible. Do I win a prize?

 

That's a fair point, Kindler. My favorite churners are the ones who have it down to a science. Same plot, same basic scene, just throw in different characters and call it done.

 

A book of 100,000 words or more would definitely sell. A lot of people like longer books and feel that they get their money's worth that way while other just love a long story.

 

It would appeal to those who agree with C.S. Lewis, "You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me."

 

I think that Jordan said it best! I love that quote! Personally I like a long book. Once I get caught up in the characters and the plot I can read a story forever. I hate when a book ends too quick. I would rather a book go too long then end too soon.

 

Didn't he also say to Tolkien "By God, not another bloody elf!" I suspect he might have liked long books, but not long books with extra padding.

(It is said Hugo Dyson said something similar, but as I heard someone say the same thing in the cinema curing the films, I suspect it is a common sentiment about the Lord of the Rings!)